1. Field
The present disclosure relates to a label tape that produces a label with a predetermined print, a label tape cartridge including the label tape, and a label producing apparatus capable of producing a label.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are known RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) systems for contactlessly reading/writing information between a compact RFID tag and a reader (reading device)/writer (writing device). For example, the RFID circuit element provided on an RFID tag (RFID label) in a label form includes an IC circuit part that stores predetermined RFID tag information and an antenna that is connected to the IC circuit part and transmits and receives information, and even when the RFID tag is soiled or disposed at a hidden position, the reader/writer can access the RFID tag information of the IC circuit part (can read/write information), and now the RFID circuit element is being put into practical use in various fields such as asset management, document management in an office, a name plate attached to the breast of a person, and the like.
As a tag label producing apparatus that produces an RFID label having a variety of uses, for example, such an apparatus described in JP, A, 2006-309557 is known. In the tag label producing apparatus according to the prior art, a tag tape is fed out from a tag tape roll wound with a strip-shaped tag tape (label tape) provided with RFID circuit elements at predetermined intervals in a tape longitudinal direction, and thus each RFID circuit element is transported sequentially. Then, during the transport, predetermined RFID tag information generated on the apparatus is transmitted to the antenna of each RFID circuit element via the apparatus antenna to access (read or write) the RFID tag information of the IC circuit part connected to the antenna of the RFID circuit element, and thus the RFID label is completed. At the same time, in the prior art, an identifier (detection target mark) formed on the tag tape with a predetermined constant pitch is detected by an optical method etc. and the tape feeding control and positioning, and further the printing control, communication control, cutting control, etc., associated therewith are carried out based on the detection of the detection target mark.
Recently, a variety of applications are desired with increasing use of the above-mentioned RFID tag and there is arising the need to produce a plurality of kinds of label having different forms.
As an example, it is desired to be capable of selecting the label length according to the number of letters in a print. In other words, on the tag tape, RFID circuit elements are arranged with a predetermined constant pitch, and therefore, the maximum length of a RFID label including the RFID circuit element that can be produced on a single tag tape is determined fixedly. Because of the arrangement, when the number of letters in a print exceeds a certain number, they cannot be placed on the label. One of measures to deal with this can be thought to separately prepare a tag tape on which the RFID circuit elements are arranged with a comparatively long pitch in addition to a tag tape on which the RFID circuit elements are arranged with a normal pitch in accordance with the case where the number of letters in a print exceeds a certain number. Depending on applications, there may be the case where it is desired to increase the length of a tag label regardless of the number of letters in a print.
In addition, there may be the case where, for example, it is desired to produce both a tag label on which a print (or/and RFID circuit element) is arranged unevenly on one side in a tag label longitudinal direction and a tag label on which a print is arranged unevenly on the other side in accordance with an application, in addition to the need for the label length. It is also possible to deal with this case by preparing in advance a plurality of kinds of tag tape corresponding to each case.
When a plurality of kinds of tag tape is prepared as described above, the detection target mark formed on each tag tape for the feeding control etc. also has a plurality of kinds of form corresponding to the above. In the prior art described above, as an example, the forms of the detection target mark (dimension in the tape longitudinal direction) are made different corresponding to the plurality of kinds of tag tape.
However, there arises a need to newly provide a plurality of kinds of forming capability in the manufacturing facilities (facilities for forming the detection target mark on the tag tape) for manufacturing the label tape (tag tape in this example) in order to form the detection target marks in a plurality of kinds of form as described above. Because of the arrangement, there is a possibility that the configuration of the facilities and their control may become complex and the manufacturing cost of the tag tape may increase as a result.
This also applies to the case where a normal label without RFID circuit element (only a print is included) is produced in addition to the case where the RFID label is produced.
In other words, in general, in the label producing apparatus for producing such a label, a label tape is fed out and transported from a label tape roll wound with a strip-shaped label tape. Then, during the transport, a print is made in a predetermined print area of the label tape and thus a label is completed. There is a case where an encircling cut line (half cut line, set so as to encircle the print area) in a substantially rectangular form formed in advance with a predetermined pitch at a plurality of positions in the label tape longitudinal direction and when the label is used, the area surrounded by the encircling cut line is cut off and affixed to an object to be affixed (there are cases where the tape is cut and where not). When such a label is produced, similar to the above, the detection target mark is formed on the label tape in advance with a pitch associated with the pitch of the encircling cut line and then the tape feeding control and positioning, and further, the printing control etc. associated therewith are carried out based on the detection of the detection target mark.
When preparing a plurality of kinds of label tape in order to deal with the same need as above, it is necessary to form the detection target mark in a plurality of kinds of form on the label tape. Because of the arrangement, similar to the above, there is a possibility that the configuration of the manufacturing facilities (facilities for forming the detection target mark on the label tape) for producing the label tape and their control may become complex and the manufacturing cost of the label tape may increase as a result.